T H E
E G Y P T I A N R ED BOOK.
“ The judgment upon General Gordon’s position does not rest upon a single despatch, but it rests upon
A SERIES OF DESPATCHES.”—W. E. G., 22nd April 1884.
Sept. 1882.—Mr Gladstone’s Government invade Egypt at a cost to British Tax-payers of £7,000,000, and 500 English
lives and 4000 Egyptian. The Mahdi rampant in the Soudan. The G. O. M. all at sea on board the Grantully
Castle. [“ They have meddled in Egypt just enough to muddle, and not enough to cure.”]
Aug. 1883.—General Hicks is ordered to fight the Mahdi with soldiers dragged to battle in chains, “ xvithout transport,
money, clothing, food, or camels.'1' [No aid is sent, as Mr G. is preparing a new edition of “ Lessons in Massacre.”]
22nd Nov. —Hicks’ whole army destroyed. 13,000 massacred. [The Do-Nothing Government slumber on, as their
Chief has a cold in his head.]
THE GARRISONS ABANDONED.
26th Nov.—Sir E. Baring, the Government Representative in Egypt, to Lord Granville.—“Fears are entertained
for the garrisons of Tokar and Sinkat.” [Nothing done, as the Premier had a letter to write to the Derby
Working Men’s Gladstone Presentation Committee.]
2nd Dec.—Another massacre at Tamanieb. 1000 Egyptians killed within 20 miles of British troops and war-vessels.
[The Grand Old Mummies look on smiling and do nothing, as they are unveiling a statue of the G. O. M. in the
City Liberal Club.]
8th Dec.—The commander at Tokar writes :—“The assistance that I begged for, you have not afforded me. I have
received nothing but empty compliments. We have done our work like brave men, but there is no one to
support us. There is no use your writing complimentary letters to us if at the end we are to fall into the hands
of the enemy.” [Nothing was done, as Mr G. was presenting a chestnut tree to the Corporation of Brighton.]
5th Feb. 1884. —Massacre near Tokar. 96 officers, 2250 men slaughtered within a day's march of British troops.
9th Feb.—The commander at Sinkat telegraphs:—“We are dying of starvation, and our condition is desperate.
The men are chewing the leaves oj trees to allay their cravings.” [Nothing was done, as Mr Gladstone was
presenting a bust of himself to the town of Kirkwall. ]
12th Feb.—Massacre at Sinkat. The brave Tewfik and 1000 men, women, and children are butchered witldn 26 miles
of the British garrison. [“We have been involved in some amount, at least, of moral complicity with the
basest and blackest outrages upon record.”—W. E. G. on the Bulgarian Horrors.]
Granville to Baring, 22nd Feb.
“I have to request you to furnish further informa-
tion as to whether the sanitary conditions of Upper
Egypt would allow of a European force being stationed
there.”
Baring to Granville, 28th Feb.
“We have taken the responsibility of preserving
tranquillity in Egypt; and this task is impossible without
exposing our troops to whatever risks the climatic
influences involve.”
Moral.—The British army (under the Gladstone Government) cannot invade an enemy's country without a
satisfactory report upon the drains.
E G Y P T I A N R ED BOOK.
“ The judgment upon General Gordon’s position does not rest upon a single despatch, but it rests upon
A SERIES OF DESPATCHES.”—W. E. G., 22nd April 1884.
Sept. 1882.—Mr Gladstone’s Government invade Egypt at a cost to British Tax-payers of £7,000,000, and 500 English
lives and 4000 Egyptian. The Mahdi rampant in the Soudan. The G. O. M. all at sea on board the Grantully
Castle. [“ They have meddled in Egypt just enough to muddle, and not enough to cure.”]
Aug. 1883.—General Hicks is ordered to fight the Mahdi with soldiers dragged to battle in chains, “ xvithout transport,
money, clothing, food, or camels.'1' [No aid is sent, as Mr G. is preparing a new edition of “ Lessons in Massacre.”]
22nd Nov. —Hicks’ whole army destroyed. 13,000 massacred. [The Do-Nothing Government slumber on, as their
Chief has a cold in his head.]
THE GARRISONS ABANDONED.
26th Nov.—Sir E. Baring, the Government Representative in Egypt, to Lord Granville.—“Fears are entertained
for the garrisons of Tokar and Sinkat.” [Nothing done, as the Premier had a letter to write to the Derby
Working Men’s Gladstone Presentation Committee.]
2nd Dec.—Another massacre at Tamanieb. 1000 Egyptians killed within 20 miles of British troops and war-vessels.
[The Grand Old Mummies look on smiling and do nothing, as they are unveiling a statue of the G. O. M. in the
City Liberal Club.]
8th Dec.—The commander at Tokar writes :—“The assistance that I begged for, you have not afforded me. I have
received nothing but empty compliments. We have done our work like brave men, but there is no one to
support us. There is no use your writing complimentary letters to us if at the end we are to fall into the hands
of the enemy.” [Nothing was done, as Mr G. was presenting a chestnut tree to the Corporation of Brighton.]
5th Feb. 1884. —Massacre near Tokar. 96 officers, 2250 men slaughtered within a day's march of British troops.
9th Feb.—The commander at Sinkat telegraphs:—“We are dying of starvation, and our condition is desperate.
The men are chewing the leaves oj trees to allay their cravings.” [Nothing was done, as Mr Gladstone was
presenting a bust of himself to the town of Kirkwall. ]
12th Feb.—Massacre at Sinkat. The brave Tewfik and 1000 men, women, and children are butchered witldn 26 miles
of the British garrison. [“We have been involved in some amount, at least, of moral complicity with the
basest and blackest outrages upon record.”—W. E. G. on the Bulgarian Horrors.]
Granville to Baring, 22nd Feb.
“I have to request you to furnish further informa-
tion as to whether the sanitary conditions of Upper
Egypt would allow of a European force being stationed
there.”
Baring to Granville, 28th Feb.
“We have taken the responsibility of preserving
tranquillity in Egypt; and this task is impossible without
exposing our troops to whatever risks the climatic
influences involve.”
Moral.—The British army (under the Gladstone Government) cannot invade an enemy's country without a
satisfactory report upon the drains.